1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a mobile communication terminal which is allowed to communicate within detachable IC (Integrated Circuit) card, and a method of allowing it to access the network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Very recently, a mobile communication terminal used in a portable communication system or a car telephone system has been much in demand due to request from personal communication.
The mobile communication terminal has risks such that it is lost or stolen, since a owner typically carries it with himself or herself and uses it. Thus, this requires the security with regard to the mobile communication terminal for the loss or the theft in the mobile communication terminal. Conventionally, many security methods have been provided for the mobile communication apparatus.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei, 7-193865) discloses a security method for a mobile communication terminal when it is lost or stolen. The mobile communication terminal of this conventional example can receive a remote operation data through a communication line from another communication appliance. Then the mobile communication terminal of this conventional example performs a pre-determined protection process on the mobile communication terminal in accordance with a content of the remote operation data. Accordingly the mobile communication terminal of this conventional example protects an inner data when it is lost, and also protects an accounting trouble caused by another person""s usage.
Also, the mobile communication terminal is used in a variety of fields, such as analog cellular systems, digital cellular systems, and cordless telephone systems. A GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) system is one of the digital cellular systems, and is established as a Pan-European uniform standard system. Then, a GSM system has been offering the digital cellular telephone service.
A mobile communication terminal of this GSM system can access (call) a network within an IC card storing a plurality of data in a memory of the IC card. This IC card is referred to as an SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card in the GSM system. So, data with regard to a owner of the mobile communication terminal is included in the plurality of data stored in the memory in the SIM card.
The data with regard to the user include a subscriber number (IMSI: International Mobile Subscriber Identity), an identification number (PIN: Personal Identification Number), a service status code, a shorten telephone number inputted by a subscriber.
Moreover, a mobile communication terminal into which the SIM card is inserted is defined as an MS (mobile station), and a mobile communication terminal into which the SIM card is not inserted is defined as an ME (Mobile Equipment). That is, the ME and the SIM card integrally constitute the MS to accordingly enable the access to the network. In this way, the SIM card is an essential element in the GSM system.
IN the GSM system, the MS as any ME in which the SIM card of a subscriber is inserted can access the network. That is, the subscriber carries only the SIM card without carrying the one""s ME. For example, the subscriber brings only the SIM card during travel, and borrows the ME at his or her destination in travel, and then can access the network with the MS as the borrowed ME inserting his or her SIM card.
In the GSM system, the MS as any ME inserted any SIM card can access the network. when the MS is lost or stolen, a MS can access the network by pulling out an SIM card inserted into a lost or stolen MS, inserting another SIM card, and inputting a corresponding PIN. Thus, there may be a high possibility that the ME is not returned back to its owner.
Otherwise, the following conventional techniques are disclosed in relation to the IC card and the mobile communication terminal.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 10-200522) discloses a method of encoding data by means of an IC card, a system of encoding data by means of an IC card, and the IC card. This conventional example relates to encoding data by means of the IC card. Especially, this conventional example encodes data including user data indicating the status of users capable of decoding the data, and stores the encoded data in the IC card. Only the users of the status can decode the encoded data in the IC card and take out the decoded data of the IC card. Moreover, This conventional example remotely manages the memory area in the IC card.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 9-114948) discloses an apparatus protecting and managing a security by using an IC card and a method of protecting and managing a security by using an IC card. This conventional example relates to the method of protecting and managing the security by using the IC card. Especially, this conventional example relates to maintenance of the security when the IC card is adapted for a credit card.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 8-511144) discloses a digital radio telephone facility having a mobile communication terminal. This conventional example relates to the digital radio telephone facility operated through an SIM card which can be removed by each mobile communication terminal. This conventional example provides the digital radio telephone facility in which the mobile communication terminal has an auxiliary SIM chip card having service such as an automatic answering telephone function and/or a short message reception function. While the SIM card is pulled out of mobile communication terminal, mobile communication terminal can receive the service of the auxiliary SIM chip card to the SIM card user inserted at a previous time.
Japanese Patent No. 2,659,637 discloses a mobile communication apparatus. This conventional example relates to a mobile communication apparatus capable of communicating related to paying a charge for a telephone call in advance. The mobile communication apparatus of this conventional example can insure the maintenance and reliability with regard to a data of the charge, in which the data transmitted between an accounting device on a transmission side and an advance payment device on a receiving side, and an input of the data of the charge to the advance payment device on the receiving side.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Heisei 11-15927) discloses an IC card system. This conventional example relates to a server system. This conventional example automatically connects a pre-determined server system based on a data stored in an IC card, and the server system offers information to a system or apparatus defined automatically by the data stored in the IC card.
In the conventional techniques, if a third person gets a mobile communication terminal which is left alone, loss, or stolen, the ME of the mobile communication terminal can not avoid the third person from being used in the GSM system because of the pursuit of improvement of convenience in the usage of the IC card in the GSM system. Also, the SIM card pulled out from the mobile communication apparatus may be left alone or scraped. Thus, it is difficult to recover a personal data which is important for an owner. Especially, in recent years, a small SIM card having longitudinal and lateral widths of several centimeters and a thickness of several millimeters has been used. Hence, the SIM card attached into the left, loss, or stolen mobile communication terminal may be easy to be scrap.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-explained problems.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a mobile communication terminal which is allowed to communicate within detachable IC (Integrated Circuit) card and a method of allowing it to access the network, in which the mobile communication terminal detects whether or not an IC card attached in (or mounted on) the mobile communication terminal is a previously inserted IC card attached in it while the mobile communication terminal previously accessed the network.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile communication terminal which is allowed to communicate within detachable IC card and a method of allowing it to access the network, in which the mobile communication terminal requires a certain procedure when an IC card attached in (or mounted on)the mobile communication terminal differs from a previously inserted IC card attached in (or mounted on)it while the mobile communication terminal previously accessed the network.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile communication terminal which is allowed to communicate within detachable IC card and a method of allowing it to access the network, in which a body of the mobile communication terminal judges whether or not a user of the body is permitted to the usage of the body.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a mobile communication terminal includes a body; and an IC (Integrated Circuit) card mounted on the body; in which the body includes an input portion used to inputting a first code or a second code, a detecting portion detecting whether or not the mounted IC card is same as an IC card mounted when the mobile communication terminal has previously accessed a network as a previous IC card, and a first controller allowing the body to be operated in response to the first code from the input portion when the detecting portion detects that the mounted IC card differs from the previous IC card, a second controller allowing the body to be operated when the detecting portion detects that the mounted IC card is same as the previous IC card, and a third controller allowing the mobile communication terminal to access the network in response to the second code from the input portion after the first controller allows the body to be operated.
In the mobile communication terminal, the body may store a body identifying code, and the first controller may allow the body to be operated when the first code matches the body identifying code.
In the mobile communication, the mounted IC card may store a card identifying code, and the third controller may allow the mobile communication terminal to access a network when the second code matches the card identifying code.
In the mobile communication terminal, the detecting portion may detect that the previous IC card is replaced by the mounted IC card after the mobile communication terminal has previously accessed the network.
In the mobile communication terminal, it may further include a power supply portion mounted on the body and supplying power to the body; and the detecting portion may detect that the previous IC card is replaced by the mounted IC card by detecting whether or not the power supply portion is detached from the body after the mobile communication terminal has previously accessed the network.
In the mobile communication, the body may further include a memory storing a first data stored in a pre-determined memory area of the previous IC card, and the third controller may read a second data stored in the pre-determined memory area of the IC card and allow the body to be operated when the first data matches the second data.
In the mobile communication, the memory may further have at least one address and the pre-determined memory area may be indicated in the at least one address.
In the mobile communication terminal, the mounted IC card and the previous IC card may include SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards.
In the mobile communication terminal, the memory may include a non-volatile memory.
In the method of allowing a mobile communication terminal to access the network, it may further include (g) storing a body identifying code in the body; and the (d) controlling may allow the body to be operated when the first code matches the body identifying code.
In order to achieve another aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a method of allowing a mobile communication terminal to access a network, in which the mobile communication terminal includes a body, a power supply portion supplying power to the body, and an IC card mounted on the body, including: (a) detecting whether or not the mounted IC card is same as an IC card mounted when the mobile communication terminal has previously accessed a network as a previous IC card; (b) allowing the body to be operated when the detecting portion detects that the mounted IC card is same as the previous IC card; (c) inputting a first code when the detecting portion detects that the mounted IC card differs from the previous IC card; (d) allowing the body to be operated in response to the first code; (e) inputting a second code after the first controller allows the body to be operated; (f) allowing the mobile communication terminal to access the network in response to the second code.
In the method of allowing a mobile communication terminal to access the network, it may further include (h) storing a card identifying code in the IC card; and the (f) controlling may allow the mobile communication terminal to access the network when the second code matches the card identifying code.
In the method of allowing a mobile communication terminal to access the network, the (a) detecting may detect whether or not the previous IC card is replaced by the mounted IC card after the mobile communication terminal has previously accessed the network.
In the method of allowing a mobile communication terminal to access the network, the (a) detecting may detect whether or not the previous IC card is replaced by the mounted IC card by detecting whether or not the power supply portion is detached from the body after the mobile communication terminal has previously accessed the network.
In the method of allowing a mobile communication terminal to access the network, it may further includes (i) storing a first data stored in a pre-determined memory area of the previous IC card when the mobile communication terminal has previously accessed the network; and the (a) detecting may include (j) reading a second data stored in the pre-determined memory area of the mounted IC card, and (k) comparing the first data to the second data; and the (b) allowing may allow the body to be operated when the first data matches the second data, and the (c) inputting may input a first code when the first data differs from the second data.
In the method of allowing a mobile communication terminal to access the network, it may further include (l) storing at least one address, and the pre-determined memory area may be indicated in the at least one address.
In the method of allowing a mobile communication terminal to access the network, the mounted IC card and the previous IC card may include SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards.